Public School Board Approves Budget

A good news financial report for the Keewatin-Patricia District School Board.

Last night the school board voted to pass the 2013/2014 budget.

The budget has a surplus over 6 thousand dollars.

However Superintendent of Business Dean Carrie says the money is going to some basic costs including some capital projects at Valleyview, Beaver Brae, Dryden High and Red Lake High School.

Total spending will be about 83.5 million dollars next year, down about 1.7 million dollars from
this year.

Feedback Encouraged by Event Center Committee

Our survey says!

Kenora's Event Center Committee continues to gather feedback from the public about what they'd like to seen in any potential expansion of
the Kenora Rec. Center.

Chris Van Wallenghem is co-chair of the Committee and says they are encourging local residents to fill out an on-line survey.

The survey can be found on the city's web portal at Kenora.ca

Van Wallenghem says once they compile the information from the survey,
they will be presenting it to city council in July.

Mixed Views on Passage of Provincial Budget

The PC Candidate for Kenora-Rainy River Riding is disappointed with the NDP's decision to support the Liberal's budget.

Randy Nickle says it's like the NDP just wanted to get it over with.

Nickle says there's really nothing special that's being provided for Northwestern Ontario.

However,  Northern Development and Mines Minister Michael Gravelle is happy to see the budget passed, since several initiatives in the fiscal document will help northerners.

The budget passed by a vote of 64 to 36 yesterday.

Cliffs Suspending Ring of Fire Project

Cliffs Natural Resources is temporarily suspending its environmental assessment activities for the Ring of Fire in northern Ontario.

The company is citing a number of delays and uncertainty including provincial and federal environmental assessments as well as unresolved issues related to land surface rights.

Cliffs also cites ``unfinished agreements with the Government of Ontario that are critical to the project's economic viability.''

The company says it will continue to work with the provincial government and First Nations communities in an attempt to restart the work.

Junior Track and Field Results

Some impressive results at the Junior track and field meet at T.A. field yesterday.

There were a number of multiple gold medalists.

11 year old Jacob Frankham was tops in the 400 and 200 meter races, and third in the 60 meter dash.

Alyssa Turcotte won the 10 year old girls 60 meter and 200 meter races and the long jump, while nine year old Jason Debbo was top in the 60 meter dash, the 200 meter and the 800 meter races.

Xavier Wickham, 11,  placed first in the high jump and also topped the field in the 60 meter
dash and was second in the 200 meter race.

Today the Intermediate Track and Field meet takes place at Thomas Aquinas.